The boating graveyard at Radford Lake, Plymstock(Image: Scarlett Hills-Brooks/Plymouth Live)

Shipwrecks from across the world left to rot in Devon lake

It's home to a haunting graveyard of vessels

by · DevonLive

If you've ever taken a stroll around Radford Lake, you'll likely have spotted the eerie shipwrecks that dot the tranquil landscape, some of which originate from distant parts of the globe.

The Plymstock park, spanning 2.5 hectares, provides a humble yet scenic backdrop. The park stretches to the neighbouring Radford and Hooe Lakes, which act as a haunting graveyard for forsaken ships.

Vessels appear to have run aground or been left to rot in the shallow waters, their skeletal wooden remains the sole reminder of their history. This secluded spot is popular with dog walkers and fishermen, but otherwise, an uncanny calmness envelops the foggy waters.

Radford Park itself is tucked within the grounds of the former Radford House, an elegant Tudor building once home to the Harris family in the 19th century, who were close friends of Sir Francis Drake.

The protected wildlife area is significant due to its hosting the largest concentration of hulks west of the River Exe. It's suggested that this section of Plymouth accommodates between fourteen and seventeen vessels.

While some are no longer visible for various reasons, many large dilapidated sea vessels and shipwrecks remain.

According to The Ships Project, the remnants of over 30 vessels can still be seen today - and it's speculated that there may be additional hidden ship remains buried in the mud.

According to The Ships Project website: "It is thought that Hooe or Radford Lake has been a place where boats have been abandoned for centuries. It is a likely spot and has all the requirements, mainly that the Lake is shallow and tidal so boats can be abandoned at high tide yet still accessed when the tide recedes."

The website continues: "The lake is sheltered from all but the worst weather and the owners of the foreshore allowed boats to be abandoned there. There is access by road so salvaged ships' timbers and fittings can be carried away as the ships are dismantled. The remains of more than 30 vessels can still be seen in the lake and there are likely to be the remains of others hidden under the mud so it is a great place to explore our maritime heritage."

View our gallery below for more.

The boating graveyard at Radford Lake, Plymstock(Image: Scarlett Hills-Brooks/Plymouth Live)
The bare shell of a former French trawler. The algae covered beams sit right up against the shore(Image: Scarlett Hills-Brooks/Plymouth Live)
The remains of an abandoned hulk rests in the middle of the lake, looking out towards the local community(Image: Scarlett Hills-Brooks/Plymouth Live)
A deeper look into the skeleton of the French trawler hidden under the mud, it sits so close to dry land that you could take a stroll into the bowels of the ship(Image: Scarlett Hills-Brooks/Plymouth Live)
The 19th Century towers of Radford Castle overlook the graveyard of ships and the vast waters of Hooe Lake which stretch into the distance(Image: Scarlett Hills-Brooks/Plymouth Live)